Building heating



Dec; 18, 1934. A BEMls BUILDING HEATING Filed Aug. 5, 1931 :5 Sheets-Sheet i z a r Wm M J a Y J M o A a I f a 9 7 J L a L W1 I o w A a X 2 m flm F a aria/i4;

Dec. 18, 1934; BEM|$ 1,984,781

BUILDING HEATING Filed Aug. 5, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ITI BUILDING HEATING Filed Aug. 5, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet a Patented Dec. 18, 1934 UNITED STATES nmnmc HEATING Albert F. Be mis, Newton, Mass., assignor to Bemls Industries, Incorporated, Boston, Mass., a corporation of Delaware Application August 5,

' -9 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved heating system for buildings such, for example, as dwelling houses, and more particularly to arrangements adapted to employ radiant heat for heating building interiors.

Conventional heating systems are unsatisfactory, since they involve the concentration of heat into limited regions and depend upon uncertain convection currents for the dissemination of the heat to the various portions of a room. This results in an uneven heating and the collection of hot air adjoining the ceiling whereit has little effect inproperly heating the occupants of the room. Such heating systems necessitate a relatively high temperature in order to permit the occupants of the room to be comfortable and consequently result in an abnormally low relative humidity, a condition which generally is recognized as having an injurious effect upon health and house furnishings. These conventional heating systems furthermore are relative-' ly ineflicient due to the unnecessarily high temperatures which they require, and the dissipation of the heat which collects at. the upper portion of a room.

It is a primary object of the present invention to obviate the deficiencies in conventional heating systems and to provide substantially uniform heating of ,all portions of a room, while avoiding unnecessarily high temperatures and thus permitting a materially higher normal moisture content of the air within the room than is possible with the conventional heating arrangements. Furthermore, the present invention avoids the employment of exposed unsightly heating elements such as radiators, with their propensity to collect dust, and by convection to deposit smudges on the walls directly thereabove, and also avoids the employment of open registers and the like with the attendant objections from the point of view of sanitation and appearance;

To obtain these desirable results, I preferably provide a substantially continuous layer of heat conductive and radiant material upon all sides of the room, including the floor and ceiling. Radiant heat may be effective in maintaining the bodies of occupants of a room at a satisfactory temperature while the air of the room itself may be materially cooler than where convection heat is primarily depended upon. In other words, radiant heat rays, upon striking the body of an occupant of the room, will raise the temperature of the body surface by a substantially greater amount than they will raise the temperature of 1931, Serial No. 555,312

the air through which the rays pass. Accordingly the body surface may have a temperature equal to that which it would possess were the air of the room heated to a materially higher temperature and primarily dependedupon to heat the body of the occupant, as is the case with present conventional heating systems. Since this invention permits the air in the room thus to remain at a temperature lower than is conventional, its moisture content and relative humidity may be substantially higher and the conditions within the room are therefore more healthful than with. ordinary heating arrangements that depend primarily upon heating the air within the room to a temperature conducive to the comfort of its occupants.

In .order to permit the effective employment of radiant heat in this manner, it is necessary to avoid concentration of the source of heat in a limited'region or regions in the room and to distribute the source of radiant heat so that the intensity of the emanated rays within the room will be substantially uniform; It is therefore advantageous to arrange the heating means so that the radiant heat rays emanate from substantially all of the wall surfaces of the room, these wall surfaces having a temperature which is not greatly above that of the interior of the room in contrast to the relatively high temperature which accompanies the use of steam radiators or the like.

Preferably the primary source of heat supply is disposed adjoining the floor of the room, for example, either below the floor, or within the floor assembly. This arrangement is highly advantageous when heat conductive, radiant sheets such, for example, as metal plates or panels are disposed inthe walls of a room, since the conductivity of these wall sheets is efl'ective in' permitting the heat to be conducted to the upper parts of the walls and to be radiated from the same, even though a somewhat greater proportion of heat may radiate from the lower parts of the walls and from the floor. Accordingly, this arrangement permits the radiant heat to cooperate with the limited convection currents, which are present under ordinary circumstances, to cause substantially uniform heating of all parts of the room so that the temperature adjoining the floor and that adjoining the ceiling may be substantially the same, thus avoiding the losses and overcoming the'f'disadvantages which are characteristic of the conventional heating. systems which depend primarily upon convection currents and involve the maintenance of the air within the room at an unduly high temperature. Furthermore, the arrangement of the primary heating elements in or adjoining selected parts of the room, such as the floor or below the same, not only avoids relatively low temperatures of the air adjoining the fioor, but also has distinct structural advantages in that both the original installation and subsequent servicing is greatly facilitated.

In accordance with this invention structural frame elements, for example, vertical elements corresponding to studs and posts, and horizontal elements corresponding to girts and joists may be formed of heat conductive material, i. e., metal, and may not only act as structural portions of the building but also be effective in properly conducting and distributing heat to the radiating elements or units which may be in the.

form of metal sheets. More particularly for this purpose I prefer to employ units having marginal channels and opposite face sheets of conductive material, such as metal. Such units may be disposed vertically to provide the vertical walls and 'horizontally to provide the floors and ceilings.

The specific structural arrangement of one form of these units and the cooperating girts, horizontal frame members, and adjuncts are described and claimed in my copending application, Serial No. 553,033, filed July 25, 1931, Patent No. 1,958,124, May 8, 1934, which is incorporated herein by reference. Preferably, the face sheets of the units provide substantially continuous metallic wall surfaces which define the faces of the walls of rooms and provide large radiating surfaces, for example, these surfaces may comprise the major portions of the wall surfaces for the rooms.

Further objects and advantages will be apparent from a consideration of the following description and accompanying drawings which exemplify, somewhat diagrammatically, one embodiment of this invention chosen for the purpose of illustration.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic sectional elevation showing the interior structure of a building embodying my novel heating system;

the sills 3.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of 'the building;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section through a portion of the first floor;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a floor and ceiling unit;

Fig. 5 is a vertical section showing a modified arrangement of the heating elements; and

Fig. 6 is a vertical section showing a modified type of floor unit embodying an electric heating element.

Referring tothe drawings, and more particularly to Figs. 1 and 3, the numeral 1 designates theouter walls of the building which may be formed of any suitable jacketing material, such as concrete, resting upon a suitable foundation which also carries concrete posts 2 supporting Interposed between the concrete jacket 1 and the vertical frame members is a layer of heat insulating material 4 of any suitlar spaced-rectangular metal sheets 10 and 11 having their edges connected by channel irons 12, thus providing closed metal boxes or units having grooved or recessed edge portions and face plates which define the surfaces of the vertical walls of the rooms. The horizontal frame members- 6 preferably comprise channel 7 secured to the opposite sides of a web plate 8 to provide fianged portions which interfit with the recessed portions of the unit 5, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. The web plate 8 projects beyond the channel or angles '7 to provide supports for the floor and ceiling units 15.

The units 15 are similar to the wall units and comprise similar spaced metal face sheets 16 and 17 which preferably are rectangular and t which have their edges connected by fourchan nel irons 19 cooperating with the face sheets in providing a substantially closed metal box or unit. As shown in Fig. 4 the upper face sheet 17 may have a greater area than the lower sheet to provide overhanging end portions for connection to the girts 3 and 6. Preferably, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, a plurality of these units extend across the room and are disposed in side by side juxtaposition to provide a substantially continuous floor surface, and in like manner a plurality of similar panels extend across the upper part of the room to provide the ceiling. In both the floor and ceiling units the longitudinal channels possess suflicient strength and rigidity to serve as floor joists, and likewise, the corresponding elements of the wall panels 5 serve as the studs and posts of the structure. It is thus evident that the wall, ceiling and floor units not only include the structural frame elements of the assembly, but also provide substantially continuous radiating surfaces which define a major portion of the wall surfaces of the room. Suitable metal elements such as angles 20 may be employed to connect the floor and ceiling units 15 to the wall units 5 and similar angles 21 may be employed between the wall units and the girts 6 (as shown in Figs. 1, 3, 4 and 5), thus providing excellent heat conductors between the units and the girts.

Suitable heating elements such as steam coils 30 may be disposed below the floor units 15, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, and heat insulating material 33 is preferably disposed below the heating coils 30 so that the major portion of the heat therefrom is transmitted to the floor units 15 and the adjacent portions of the girts and wall units. disposed in heat transfer relation to, or thermal association with, both the girts 3 and 6 and the heating elements 30, it is apparent that part of the heat from the coils will be transmitted directly to the floor units while a substantial part will be transmitted to the girts 3 and 6, the wall units 5, and ultimately to the ceiling units. The heat thus transmitted is conducted to the face sheets of the different units and emitted-therefrom to the interior of the rooms by radiation. If desired, heating. coils 50'may be disposed in the channels adjoining the floor and ceiling units 15 above the rooms of the first floor, thus aiding the heating of the upper portions of the rooms on the lower floor as well as the rooms in the second story. Obviously, the lower parts of the face sheets of units 5, particularly in the upper story, may normally be warmer than their upper parts, and accordingly a greater amount of heat will be radiated therefrom. However, an appreciable As the wall, ceiling and fioor units are amount of heat will be conducted to the upper.

portion of the units by means of the channels and face sheets, and ultimately to the ceiling units by means of the angle irons 21. As the wall units are hollow and have substantially dead air spaces, the air within these units will become heated and cause convection currents to be set up which will aid the transmission and distribution of heat to the upper parts of the wall units, and to the ceiling units. Furthermore, the insulating wall 4 confines the heat transmitted to the girt 6 to the vicinity of the wall units, thus effectively preventing its dissipation and aiding its transmission to the upper floors of the building.

In the optional arrangement shown in Fig. 5 the heating coils 40 are disposed between the channels connecting the face plates of the lower floor units and the vertical frame members or wall units. Both the fioor and wall units are disposed in close thermal association'with the heating element and receive heat directly therefrom and transmit the same to their face sheets from which the heat will be emanated to the interior of the rooms by radiation.

In the modification shown in Fig. 6, the floor units 45 are provided with an electric heating element from which heat is transmitted to the diffeernt units and frame members in the manner previously described.-

In all of the illustrated embodiments of theinvention, it is evident that the heating arrangement causes a somewhat greater radiation of heat to the lower parts of the room and due 0 to the limited convection currents which are usually present, a certain amount of heat will ascend to the upper part of the room and will result in the substantially uniform heating of all ing panels so that an objectionable proportion.

of the total radiation will not emanatefrom the lower portions of the wall units.

Furthermore, it is evident that the structural portions of the building which support the various loads, such as for example those imposed upon the various fioors, are also effective in conducting and distributing the heat. Accordingly the marginal channels of the units as well as the horizontal frame members or girts are not only effective as structural members but as heat transmitting elements X It will, of course, be understood that the ac companying drawings particularly illustrate an arrangement of elements for buildingheating purposes, and that the illustrations are purely diagrammatic in character, various details such as specific fastening means, door and window arrangements, etc. not being shown in detail in this application, but being fully illustrated in my copending application identified above.

1. Building structure of the class described comprising metal wall, floor and ceiling sheets, the floor and ceiling sheets, affording substantially continuous metallic surfaces with an area susbtantially coextensive with the area of a room, the wall sheets being in heat conductive relation to the fioor and ceiling sheets, and

heating elements associated with said sheets adjoining the lower part of the room, whereby the interior of the room may be heated by heat radiation from all of said sheets, the temperature of the sheets adjoining the lower part of the room being greater than that adjoining the upper part so that the interior of the room is also heated by convection currents.

2. Building structure of the class described, comprising metal wall units, metal ceiling sheets,

the wall units providing a substantially continuous metal surface on one side of a room, the ceiling sheets being in heat conductive relation to the wall units, the wall units comprising spaced inner and outer metal sheets with metal conductors connecting their edges, and heating means associated with -the lower parts of the wall units.

3. A building structure of the class described comprising metallic frame membersdefining the rooms of the building, heating units comprising metal face plates, said units being directly supported by and thermally associated with said frame members, said face plates defining a major portion of the surfaces of the walls of said rooms, and heating elements theremally associated with said frame members whereby heat is transmitted to said frame members and thence to the heating units and emitted from said units to the interior of the rooms by radiation.

4. A building structure of the class described comprising vertical walls defining the exterior of the building-metallic frame members joined to each other and defining the rooms of the building, insulating material interposed between the frame members and saidvertical walls, heating units supported by and thermally associated with said frame members, said units comprising metal face plates defining a major portion of the wall surface of said rooms, and heatingelements thermally associated with said frame members whereby heat is transmitted thereto and emitted from the face plates of said units to the interior of the rooms by radiation.

5. A building structure of the class described comprising metallic frame members defining the rooms of a building, heating units supported by and thermally associated with said frame mem-,

bers, said units comprising metal wall, floor and ceiling plates defining a substantial portion of the surface of said rooms, and heating elements disposed below the floor plates in close proximity to adjacent portions of said frame members, whereby heat is transmitted to frame members and heating units and emitted from the plates of said units to the interior of the rooms by radiation.

6. A building structure of the class described comprising horizontal metallic frame members, floor and ceiling heating units supported thereby and thermally associated therewith, vertically disposed members constituting the vertical frame members of the structure and the wall heating units, said units each comprising spaced metal plates having their marginal portions connected by channel irons to provide closed metal chambers, said heating units defining a substantial portion of the surfaces of the rooms of the building, and heating elements disposed below said 1 of the building, horizontal metallic frame members, vertically disposed members constituting the vertical frame members and the wall heating units, insulation interposed between said latter members and the vertical walls of the building,

said vertically disposed members comprising spaced sheet metal plates, channel irons forming the vertical frame members and connecting the vertical margins of the plates to provide closed metal chambers, floor and ceiling heating units supported by and thermally associated with said horizontal frame members, said heating units defining the rooms of the building, and heating elements disposed below said fioor units in close proximity to said frame members, whereby heat is transmitted thereto and emitted from said units to the interior of the rooms by radiation.

8. A building comprising side Walls having inside faces formed of metal plates, floors comprising horizontal metal parts in heat transfer relation to said plates, and means associated with the floors for heating the rooms by conduction through said floor parts and radiation through said wall plates.

9. Building structure of the class described comprising horizontal metal frame members, floor members extending betweenhorizontal frame members, box-like wall units having inner face sheets defining the vertical walls of rooms,

.the frame members having parts in interfitting engagement with the upper and lower ends of the wall units, and heating means disposed adjoining the fioor and thermally associated with the horizontal frame members supporting the floor, whereby heat is conducted to the wall units and is radiated from the inner surfaces of the latter into the room while localized convection currents may cause the internal flow of heat within the individual units.

ALBERT F. Ber/11s. 

